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Ghost of Christmas Present
The Ghost of Christmas Present is one of the major characters in Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol. He shows Ebenezer Scrooge the present and how many people celebrate Christmas. The Ghost of Christmas Present is the second of the three spirits (after the visitations by Jacob Marley and the Ghost of Christmas Past) that haunt the miser Ebenezer Scrooge, in order to prompt him to repent. When he first appears before Scrooge, he invites him to "come in and know me better, man." According to Dickens' novel, the Ghost of Christmas Present appears to Scrooge as "a jolly giant" with dark brown curls. He wears a fur-lined green robe and on his head a holly wreath set with shining icicles. He carries a large torch, made to resemble a cornucopia, and appears accompanied by a great feast. He states that he has had "more than eighteen hundred" brothers and later reveals the ability to change his size to fit into any space. He also bears a scabbard with no sword in it, a representation of peace on Earth and good will toward men. The spirit transports Scrooge around the city, showing him scenes of festivity and also deprivation that are happening as they watch, sprinkling a little warmth from his torch as he travels. Amongst the visits are Scrooge's nephew, and the family of his impoverished clerk, Bob Cratchit. The spirit also shares a vision of Tiny Tim's crutch, carefully preserved by the fireplace. Scrooge asks if the desperately ill Tim will die. The Ghost first states that "If these shadows remain unaltered by the Future, the child will die," then – quick to use Scrooge's past unkind comments toward two charitable solicitors against him – suggests he "had better do it, and decrease the surplus population." The spirit finally reveals to Scrooge two emaciated children, subhuman in appearance and loathsome to behold, clinging to his robes, and names the boy as Ignorance and the girl as Want. The spirit warns Scrooge, "Beware them both, and all of their degree, but most of all beware this boy, for on his brow I see that written which is Doom unless the writing be erased." The spirit once again quotes Scrooge, who asks if the grotesque children have "no refuge, no resource," and the spirit retorts with more of Scrooge's unkind words: "Are there no prisons? Are there no workhouses?" The Ghost of Christmas Present, having already aged, reveals that he will only exist on Earth for a single year's Christmas holiday as the Present only takes place on the one day of the year. He finally disappears at the stroke of midnight on Twelth Night, and leaves Scrooge to face the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come, as it approaches "like a mist along the ground" tumblr_o77gepYsgJ1qcfhs3o3_1280.jpg Present1.jpg 1951 Christmas Present.jpg feff78a7114540968255343c9b9839ef.jpg Scrooged Ghost of Christmas Present.jpg Navigation Category:Noncorporeal Category:Book Heroes Category:Cartoon Heroes Category:Wise Category:Theatrical Heroes Category:Gentle Giants Category:Muppet Heroes Category:Movie Heroes Category:TV Show Heroes Category:Live Action Heroes Category:Stock Characters Category:Genderless Category:Harbingers Category:Undead Category:Possessors Category:Pure Good Category:Brutes Category:Elementals Category:Nurturer Category:Elderly Category:Magic